Jean, Our Little Australian Cousin

tion, taking the train early in the day, for there was a railw

r Melbourne is very little different from that in Liverpool or Glasgow. On the big stations i

Bush, Uncle?

f the continent the Bush, but to those who live in the grazing and farming districts the country inland is the Bush or the 'Back Country.' Our run is bea

mined to understand everything he heard. If he did not, i

a long strip of fertile ground along the coast. West of this are the mountains and beyond them is a high plateau which slopes down to the plains of Central Australia. This central portion is an almost unknown country. There are no great rivers and little ra

s uncle paused. "When you came to

run from a squatter," he answered. "The days of squatters were

s. "Only I have heard the name and thou

ttle more. They would have to have large tracts of land to pasture their sheep, but had not money enough to buy the land. They therefore settled down and took what they needed without permission, and so were called 'squatters.' The Government did not interfere with them, bec

ep their sheep from other

not get at them. The shepherd never saw any other people except the man who brought his supplies from the station. His dogs were his only friends, and often these shepherd dogs are marvels of intelligence and

try, and these proved to be a regular plague, destroying the grass, so that the Government p

nd go to Sydney, where it had always been his ambition to live. I have worked hard and been successful. When you see our station I

oney to buy a station and I can't

, and bridged cool mountain streams. When their stopping place was reached and they alighted from the train to find a comfortab

e your own supper over a twig fire, stir your tea in a billy[6] with a eucalyptus twig, and roll up in a bla

said Jean with a shudder,

not afraid

as they drove through the gate w

. The land lay in a triangle, on two sides of which was a considerable stream while the main road formed

es and looking on a garden in which gorgeous-hued flowers bloomed in brilliant beauty. There was an air of gr

ered into their cool bedrooms. These opened on to the veranda and were cool and pleasant, with gay chintz and white hangings. What a delightful visit the children had at the run! It was perhaps pleasanter for them than for the grown folk, for Sandy, Mr.

hey sat upon the veranda. "At home she was so shy she would scarcely look at any one. She seemed

Bush," said her sister. "She is a dear little girl and I think th

heard a shriek of any kind-oh-what is that?" for as she spoke there came a scream so loud and

boys holding Jean's hands and helping her to run to the house, while the

urt," cri

eep calm, while both boys began to talk at once,

ed the little, tear-stained face. The child's lip was terribly cut and she was badly fri

ind being hurt when you

ear," said her mother, as

ergus and I thought it would bite him, and I didn't want anything to happen to my brother so I ran up behind him just as he swung his stick over his shoulder to hit the snake. He hit me i

"You were a good child and brave not to cry. Crawl up in the hamm

interesting while I am asleep," the little gir

hey found the little girl a clog upon their movements. Fergus was used to taking care of her,

tagging around," he said to his mother, but that l

being here keeps you out of mischief,"

p Fergus t

, formed where one of the boundary streams was dammed. A windmill carried water from this to a platform and upon this were iron tanks from which pipes carried water through the house. The boys h

ed. "Let me have another!"

cried Fergus, as

was used to playing alone and not

n!" Fergus' temper rose

lost their balance and fell, and the sound

s of arms and legs waving wildly from the hot-bed

ower beds and broken the glass! Are you badly hurt?"

y stood up, their faces covered with

oing?" asked bot

the water pipe

ing," sai

eared at that moment from the stables. "Go and get washed u

be much hurt, but Jean begged so hard that they should n

to rest up and think it over," said Sandy's father, and the boys assured

TNO

Wild

to the pack car

water, carried